JonnyF

So Harry lives a life of luxury for 35 years at taxpayers expense and then when it's time to give something back he "steps back" from his duties. No doubt he'll be flying between the UK and North America to lecture the people that pay for the flights about reducing their carbon emissions.

I have no problem if he wants to "step back" from his duties, as long as he returns the assets that taxpayers have given him and he receives no more public money. Fair's fair.

He's going to have a big shock when he realizes what's involved in being financially independent. I guess he could go on the talk show circuit for a few quid and Markle could go back to starring in B movies.

9 hours ago, Enki said:

Yes, and 40% of all hospital staff are non UK EU citizens, not sure if you meant that tough.

 

If they are from the EU and wish to stay then they can. It's a simple process and they've had 2 years to sort it out.

Are you suggesting that they will all be rounded up on January 31st, put in police vans and driven to Dover? Will this be happening before or after the 800,000 job losses, the 8% drop in GDP and the emergency budget?

It's going to be so funny watching Project Fear exposed as the ridiculous fear mongering that it was. ????

These celebrities make me laugh. They're little more than performing monkeys yet they think they have a right to preach to the masses (you know, the stupid people, doctors, lawyers, engineers etc.) about climate change, wokeness and whatever else is the latest fad in their little echo chambers.

Gervais was spot on. Just entertain us, then shut up.

7 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

No, I read the OP.

 

 

I don't bother with anything on Scottish independence as it is a dead duck....... I presume someone took the thread off topic...

No problem, the Scottish Nationalists did take it off topic though.

You should read it, the SNP cult is exposed quite nicely. 

3 hours ago, samran said:

That’s the problem with you chest beaters. You think any questioning is somehow ‘hating’.

 

Used to good effect by nationalists and facists and the feeble minded fall for it all the time. 
 

If they don’t like the line of questioning there are ‘traitors’ (sound familiar that one??) or they ‘hate’ your country. 
 

I mean seriously- grow up. 

I love how you avoided the stats I posted and resorted to calling me a nationalist and a facist. Old habits die hard I guess.

Top points for remainer bingo, but on a more serious note could you address my points about the amount of trade the EU is doing with china and the US without a FTA?

Much thanks xx.

7 minutes ago, samran said:

No. It’s small compared with your EU trade, about half your exports go there. And you are about to reduce your seamless access to that main market.

 

Jolly good! 

 

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/11/brexit-trade-uk-eu/

Ah I think I see the problem here, you have a comprehension problem. The chart I posted shows that the EU exports over 400 Billion Euros to the US. The EU exports around 300 Billion pounds (around 353 Billion Euros) to the UK.

So it's not small, it's actually about 50 Billion more. Simply put, the EU exports more to the US than it does to the UK, and it has no FTA with the US.

Oh, and the UK trade deficit with the EU is around 100 Billion Euros. So if there were a huge issue with having no FTA (there isn't) then the EU would also have an issue.

Why do you hate the UK so much anyway? Serious question. You seem bitter.

16 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

Only just? We have firmly rejected the nasty party and the other British Nationalist parties for 10 years. That's why life is Scotland has improved significantly in the last decade.

And yet you voted to Remain in the UK in 2014. 

Look I get that it's annoying, I'd rather you'd have voted to Leave as well but that's how Democracy works.

36 minutes ago, samran said:

If most of your trade was dominated by selling much needed energy then you wouldn’t need a trade deal either.

 

 

And the US?

China?

Nobody believed your car crash, cliff edge nonsense before Leave won, and we don't believe it after we've won.

The 31st is going to be sooooo sweet. Democracy finally prevailed. Keep up the Brit bashing though, it's amusing to see how salty the Remainers are in defeat. Shame most of your comrades have deserted you though ????.

2 hours ago, samran said:

The Rule Britannia mentality leads them their I guess.

 

Funny reading the objections from some of the brexiters to the continued use of sterling in Scotland.

 

These are the same people promising a unicorn for everyone: amongst other fairytale promises - a  substantive FTAs negotiated and concluded with the EU in the next 11 months and a borderless island of Ireland with customs checks done virtually by yet to be invented technology.

 

But yet when it comes to the not unheard of practice of a sovereign state using someone else’s currency, all of a sudden it is way too hard...

Yeah it's going to be impossible to trade with the EU without a trade deal in place.

I mean, look at the top 2 countries that currently trade with the EU.

Russia/EU trade is also framed by WTO rules.

If the EU want to drag their feet on a trade deal, let them.

9 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Time will tell. I'm still optimistic that the young generation (not you!) will use their brain to realise that a small island needs support (as you see with ROI) to compete with economic blocs. 

Small island? Maybe in geographical area but not in economic clout. The 6th largest economy in the world. 

You're comparing the UK to ROI which has less than 10% of the population and GDP? ????

1 hour ago, RuamRudy said:

Just because something might be difficult, it doesn't mean that it should be shelved if the net result is beneficial. Hopefully negotiations won't be burdened by the clueless buffoons who were 'representing' the UK's interests in the Brexit negotiations. 

 

And I refer you to my response previously. You still have failed to explain why there would be a fiscal transfer. Are you referring to an allocation of existing UK debt? Of course, that goes without saying but surely you understand how government debt works?

 

Could it be that we are too comfortable in the UK with FPTP that the notion of coalition government is seen as a sign of failure rather than an improvement over our own very undemocratic process? 

 

Can you explain how you think we would be 5th from the bottom in terms of GDP? I am intrigued by that claim. According to this, Scotland's GDP per capita is $43,740 in in 2018. By comparison, the UK's GDP per capita for the same period is $42,580. As I have been saying for years, the UK is a net drain on Scotland.

 

Let's hope you are right, but the Scottish border will be much less complicated. There are far fewer crossing points, for example, and no history of tension across it. 

 

Notional deficit AS PART OF THE UK.  That last part is important. The whole point of independence is to pursue a better path, one that works for the Scottish people and is tailored to the country's specific needs.

Yes, those buffoons have gone now (May and her Remainer civil servant buddies). You'd be negotiating with a government experienced in these negotiations with a huge majority. 

Re. the divorce payment yes it would be allocation of existing debt and any commitments made to existing UK projects. It won't be insignificant. Maybe the EU will offer to pay for you, they're known for their benevolence.

Per Capita GDP won't make you any more relevant. You have a tiny population so even if your per capita is marginally higher than the UK overall, your population is about 8% of the UK. The EU will be interested in your overall GDP, and we're talking 2xx,xxx Billion USD for Scotland and 2.xx Trillion for the UK, not even comparable. But yes I was incorrect about bottom 5, I double checked and it's around bottom 12. Not exactly one of the EU powerhouses though, between Finland and Portugal. If the UK drew a blank getting concessions from Brussels, wee Scotland will have no chance, assuming they let you join in the first place. If not, what then?

The English/Scottish border would have to be huge. A nightmare to man it. Not to mention about 13% of Scots who live in England. I'm sure they'd be thrilled at the prospect of this. Screw them though, eh.

It simply doesn't make sense, which is why 55% voted against it and would do again.

Do you really think handing powers to Brussels by joining the EU federalist project and the Euro will make you an independent nation? The notion you would be independent is ridiculous.

My 711 has them under the counter now. They kind of whisper if you want a bag, give you a little nudge and a wink, look both ways and then quickly hand you one before ushering you away.

Reminded me of buying weed from the local dealer at school ????.

49 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

We had a general election, not a referendum on independence. Believe it or not, there are Conservative and Labour voters who support independence. 

 

I would expect a fair and appropriate dissolution of assets. I am unsure why you think this would involve significant fiscal transfer in either direction.

 

Can you elaborate on what we would be losing by rejoining the EU? Currently we have relatvely limited powers within the UK; an independent Scotland would, contrary to your suggestion, have full autonomy over all those issues which are currently reserved. If they can reside in Westminster, why must they be surrendered to Brussels?

 

Apparently the technology already exists to create frictionless borders - isn't that what we have been told repeatedly by our Brexit leaders in regards to the NI/Irish border?

1. You had a referendum in 2014. same result (55/45). Given the complications now that we will have left the EU I would expect an even bigger swing to remain.

2. May I refer you to the UK's exit from the EU. 

3. Because you'd be 1 of 27 instead of 1 of 4. In the UK you have a say in who leads via the ballot box. Good luck on voting for Von Der Leyen's replacement, that will be done in Brussels behind closed doors in a French/German stitch up. You'll be a minnow (in the bottom 5 in terms of GDP) of 27 countries. Not exactly a position of power. You'll be pretty much irrelevant. 

4. I believe it could be frictionless but the EU clearly disagrees. Otherwise we wouldn't need the border down the Irish Sea. So there would need to be a border.

You didn't mention Scotland meeting the criteria for joining the EU. You might want to check the notional deficit in Scotland? Adopting the Euro should be fun as well. Good luck with all that, you better hope the UK/EU trade talks go well.

12 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

This has been sad so many times, but I am happy to point it out once more - David Cameron did not require the permission of Brussels to hold the Brexit referendum. If only the UK was as democratic as the EU, we would not be having this discussion.

Actually my point was not whether it should be allowed. You already had a referendum and voted to Remain in the UK but I would not be opposed to Scotland having another referendum. My main point is...

1. Given that 55% of Scots voted for parties that would remain in the UK at last months general election, I suspect the result would be the same as last time.

2. Even if it wasn't, you would have a hard time re-joining the EU given the qualifying criteria (and of course the UK will expect a large divorce payment, only fair wouldn't you say?).

3. If you were to rejoin the EU, you would just have swapped Westminster for Brussels and would likely be less independent, not more.

4. Building the border should be fun. Maybe the EU will offer to pay?

35 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

Scotland will hopefully rejoin the fold soon.

Yes, nothing screams Independence like swapping Westminster for Brussels. It's a shame that 55% of Scots wish to remain in the UK but then we've seen Europhiles' views on Democracy and the electorate when they lose referendums. 

12 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

The EU, as a collective has strong trade negotiation power against the likes of Russia, India, China and Brazil. Once the UK has left that collective, it will be in a much weaker position to negotiate trade deals with China etc who will take every advantage of our weakened position. 

The EU has around 40 trade deals covering about 70 countries.

The UK has already signed 20 continuity deals covering 40 countries. And we haven't even left yet. After January 31 we can start talking to countries that the EU doesn't have trade deals with (you know, minnows like the USA and China).

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47213842

Tell us all about that EU/China trade deal ????. 

32 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Nothing to do with dreaming, the UK will come to regret voting for the US Trumpet.

Of course unlike Blair, Bojo can take the UK to war with the will of the people.

Yawn. Are you still trying to sell that 51st state nonsense? Remainers are increasingly desperate for something to go wrong for the UK, so sad.

A Lexus parked outside a massage parlour. Sums him up really.